Timeshare Investors of America- a possible scam!

[timeos2 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close timeos2]

Plenty of warnings - don;t deal with them!!

Mr. "Super Moderator", why would you give advise about a company if you don't have any specific examples? Could you please let us know about any examples you might have to back up your claims?

I researched Timeshare Investors of America and they have zero complaints with the BBB in any states. Their website is also very informative and has their terms and conditions on it.

I would like a reference but i understand, and respect, the fact that they actually honor their customers privacy.

There are quite a few companies in different industries that ask for fees up front. In this economy, how would any consignment company stay in business if they didn't? My attorneys and insurance companies always want money up front. So do most people i deal with in service industries. If it was a scam or illegal, I am guessing they would not be as successful as they are nor in business in so many states for any period of time. I am also guessing they would have tons of complaints with the BBB plus numerous lawsuits.

I don't have the time to use my timeshare and i sure don't have the time to market it and sell it. I also don't have the time to build a website and deal with all of the tire kickers that comes with it.

If they have a contract that my attorney approves of and it states that i will get a credit at closing that is good enough for me if i choose to go that route. If you are buying a car and trade in your old one, you get scammed on that. The same things happen with almost all other sales (mail in rebates etc.).

Again, please let us know about any specific examples of customers getting scammed from this company. I joined this forum to gain knowledge based on facts and information based on personal experiences. As a "super moderator" of this forum, i would think that you would have first hand knowledge of this company to back up your claims.

Are you going to market and sell my timeshare for no money up front?

Far more to the point. Show us specific examples of successful SALES by this or any of the many just like it. They should be out there as sales are public records! BBB listings or ratings mean nothing in this business as they are too slow to catch the crooks as are most state laws. Look to the Florida Attorney General site as well as ARDA's for general warnings AGAINST anyone that wants up front money to sell your timeshare. DON'T DEAL WITH THESE CROOKS!

[gold512bb Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close gold512bb]

Far more to the point. Show us specific examples of successful SALES by this or any of the many just like it. They should be out there as sales are public records! BBB listings or ratings mean nothing in this business as they are too slow to catch the crooks as are most state laws. Look to the Florida Attorney General site as well as ARDA's for general warnings AGAINST anyone that wants up front money to sell your timeshare. DON'T DEAL WITH THESE CROOKS!

I appreciate your warning. I don't work for the company so I can supply sales figures. I asked you to supply some sort of proof to back up you claims and you ask me to supply you with something? You apparently have no information to back up your rants. You sound like a disgruntled employee. Thanks for your biased opinion. They seem to be a good solution to a realtor.

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

OMG we have seen this so many times before, Whats that word I am looking for again? I seemed to have forgotten from my last post

[Carolinian Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Carolinian]

Hey, their at it on the European boards, too:

TimeShare Investors of America - Timesharetalk Forum

[rikkis_playpen Diamond Club Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close rikkis_playpen]

You would think they would learn!

Are you going to market and sell my timeshare for no money up front?

As a matter of fact, yes!

This website offers a free classified posting to members once they have a few legitimate posts under their belt.. And this website has fantastic google ranking! (which is why the shills are hot and heavy on this subject!)..

If fact, if you google this joke of a company, you find that this thread comes in at the top of the organic search!

By posting a fake thread here, you've actually damaged your company because now it is VERY easy for your targets to learn that you are nothing but a scam!

Quick note to the person who owns this outfit- if you are smart you'll fire the SEO monkey who thought this thread was a good idea! They have literally cost you thousands in lost victims or clients (depending on your point of view I guess!)..

[hllywdcarl Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close hllywdcarl]

I am glad I found this forum. They had their first level guy call me yesterday and ask if I wasn interested. When he told me I don't have to pay a listing fee, I said I am interested.

He took some info and I got a call from the second level guy today. We talked for a bit, they seem on the up and up, and then said we would set a time to talk to the VP of Acquisitions and get set up.

I got off the phone with this guy (Tom) and googled them. I found this forum. I called Tom back, asked if I would have to pay a listing fee. "No listing fees." I asked if I have to pay a deposit (thanks to the post above).

I told him because of having to put money up front and the fact that BBB gives them an F (not sure how Mr Gold512bb got zero complaints when I found one, perhaps it came later!?!?!) I am not interested.

Before he can push D&B I told him that if I ever need a credit rating for a company, I would check D&B. For consumer feedback, BBB.

Glad to find this forum. I will be sure to check around.

[Vipse72 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Vipse72]

If it sounds too good to be true...

I have had a two-part conversation with Timeshare Investors of America-Houston,TX. There offer sounded quite good (too good to be true) and seemed like a wonderful solution to ending my timeshare ownership. The final representative I spoke with was Leon Aved and he gave the title Director of Acquisitions. He made a big deal of letting me know he was recording the information we were discussing. I agreed to their offer, even giving them the info they requested including bank information so they could draft their "deposit" to begin the process. Having encountered a similar situation a few years ago that was a definite scam, I decided to perform a little due diligence on the company via the web (including the BBB who gave them an F) and found a lot of inconsistencies, not to mention reports of the company being a scam and/or ripoff. I processed a stop payment with my bank based on this info and decided to call the company to see how they would take my decision to do so. I called the main number (832-377-3311) and asked for Mr. Aved but he was unavailable and the receptionist asked if he could return my call. He did within 10 minutes. I explained my concern and my findings and his explanation was that what I found on the web was a result of unhappy customers. When I informed Mr. Aved of my decision to cancel payment he became agitated and told me there would be a $350 penalty for doing so. I ended the call with a polite thank you and goodbye. I honestly can't say whether these guys are scam artists or not. I have been able to find no convincing third party to verify their legitimacy, but plenty that point to a scam. However, no crime has taken place at this point, at least not for me. Just the same, I will be closing my bank account tomorrow.

[vcoxwy Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close vcoxwy]

I, too, had the opportunity to deal with Timeshare Investors of America (TIA, Inc.). They called my husband and I on Saturday morning and made a follow-up call this afternoon expressing an interest in purchasing our 2.5 million points in Wyndham Timeshares. This afternoon I also spoke with Leon Aved, Director of Acquisitions, who walked me through TIA's sales process, took me to their website, and then had me "find" their listing on Dun & Bradstreet.
Interestingly enough, when I typed the company's name into the search box, surprise, surprise, it came right up! Second listing from the top! Wow, how impressive, right? Wait, no, not really. After all, the search parameters were THE COMPANY'S NAME! It should have come up in the listings. All that proved was that the company existed. So, when I clicked on the company's name, all the information presented by D & B was its DBA (doing business as) identity (TIA, Inc) and its address. No rating, no reports, etc. Why? Because I am not a registered member of Dun & Bradstreet. I suspect that neither are the hundreds of other potential sellers who Mr. Aved takes to the site on a weekly bases. Mr. Aved then got pretty rude with me when I told him that I didn't think I wanted to pay him the upfront but "fully refundable" $18,000 filing and closing fees. Thanks, but no thanks, Mr. Aved.

[almost99 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close almost99]

Reasons for saying "no" besides "too good to be true".

I've been on the phone with Leon from TX. This seems like a really good deal and we've been talking for a week. I've been trying to get the $3000 together during that time and I have it now. They may be legit, but here's why I'm not giving them my deposit.

1. He claims they've been in biz since 1999, but I can only find posts on them starting in Dec. 2010. If they had been doing this for years, we'd see a lot more posts like this one that are several years old.
2. Texas Attorney General has 8 complaints on file. They say "that's great" for only 8 complaints since 1999. I think it's since 2011 (see the next point).
3. SOS Date of only Dec. 2010 with the Texas state Comptroller of Public Accounts https://ourcpa.cpa.state.tx.us/coa/s...ID=12012999541
4. I understand their need for the deposit to guaranty that sellers won't back out. It's like the store trying to sell eggs by the dozen and the farmer sometimes is only good for 10 eggs. The store can't sell the carton since the deal was for 12 eggs. But why isn't TIA Inc using escrow accounts? That would protect the seller and the buyer and TIA.
5. They won't let you put the deposit on a credit card which would protect you. I understand that they're worried about charge backs, but the risk is far great for the seller when they ask for ACH (electronic check). Leon told me that an ACH was perfectly safe and I could reverse it up to a month after the transaction. That's not true at all. You can only reverse an ACH before the transaction clear both banks.
6. Dun & Bradstreet is a site they take you to to show they are legit, but as far as I can tell, this site just verifies credit worthiness, but you can't even see the report unless you pay $60 for a report. https://smallbusiness.dnb.com/ePlatf...608&country=US

Again, I'm not calling Timeshare Investors of America a scam. They may be legit, but they have too many things working against them for me to risk any money.

[eal Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close eal]

If you are going to engage a company to sell your timeshare for you, you should be paying AFTER the sale is completed. You don't pay a realtor to sell your house before the sale, right?

[bjones9942 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close bjones9942]

Sometimes reading the shill posts is just fun! I always appreciate the forums that put the poster's i.p. address somewhere visible - helps me spot 'em quicker

[vlopez Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close vlopez]

SAT Mexican Tax AGENCY Confirmed UPFRONT TAXES NOT REQUIRED - PAID AT CLOSING

I was approached by Leisure Resort Specialist - Mike Torian, Gary Shepard, Anthony Pillar and I was told Mexican Government prepared tax documents and I was required to send tax money to Estela Ruelas Bernal assigned escrow officer for Bancomer. This group went as far as putting business activities i.e. presentation of buyer of Bancomer on Bancomer letter head.
I never will see my $3397. I have opened an FBI case and any and all victims need to report to their local FBI agency. Very important. I am sure these crooks are now operating under another name as I have made sure to ruin them. I have made BB in Oakland, San Francisco DA's office, FBI, and soon a specific police dept. ( I may have located estela bernal- supposed escrow officer who took money).

[Susan9079 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Susan9079]

Timeshare Investors of America is a scam

The previous posts confirm my conversations with this company. I was not taken in by their too-good-to-believe offer. However, I can offer one revelation that cements the illegitimacy of this company. When they direct you to the D&B site and show you a listing for TIA, Inc. located on 7880 San Filippe Street in Houston, they claim that this is their headquarters to explain why this address does not match the address that is listed on their website (and the one that they give you over the phone). Since the addresses did not match, I googled TIA, Inc. with the San Filippe Street address and found that the company acronym stood for Technical Information Architects! Don't be fooled by these sly dogs.

[eal Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close eal]

There is no legit company that calls you out of the blue. Those calls are invariably scams.

[waynepa35 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close waynepa35]

Timeshare Investors of America

I have had contact with this company and I suspect that they are scammers.
After signing up I have not been able to reach my rep. No replies to my many emails nor any response to my telephone calls. I am contemplating submitting a complaint to the Texas Attorney General. Don't fall for the sales pitch. I suggest that all beware of this company.